New baby and tatting

 

 

 

The last week I’ve been spending a lot of time with my new grandson, Mercutio. He’s quite the sweetie! So far he’s keeping his mom, dad and grandma entertained by making the cutest faces and noises. It’s awfully hard to put him down even when he’s sleeping. But once in awhile it’s best to leave him on his own and I have done a little tatting. I don’t have very many choices for thread colors as we left in kinda of a hurry so I have been making due.
Both of these snowflakes I came up with this week just doodling. I really like the blue and green one. These two are #3 & #4 of the 25 motif challenge. I’ve done several things that I had wanted to add to the challenge but forgot to say so.
The other picture is, of course, Mercutio at six days old. He was sitting in a swing watching the world go by. And we were sitting watching him. Grandma could do that a lot. Thanks for all the good wishes from everyone. I have been reading the comments but haven’t been taking the time to answer. Too busy being Grandma (I seem to be the only one to get him to burp…)!
(I’m still new at this blogging thing and can’t seem to get the pictures right where I want them yet. I’ll learn.)

I’m a Grandma!

As of Thursday, November 13th at 9:33 AM I am a Grandma for the first time! My youngest daughter had a little boy. He’s so cute! So I’ll be up in Omaha for about a week helping out. Of course I brought my tatting but I don’t know just how much I’ll get done. There could be a few more important things to do. Like hold him and take pictures and such. Today at least it will mostly be inside, as the wind is blowing and there are a few snowflakes in the air. They came home from the hospital this morning all bundled up.
I have to go now, he’s making these really cute faces. I don’t want to miss any!

Celtic tatting

Well, I finally tried it. I’ve been admiring Celtic tatting for a while but never took the time to do it. So, last night I got out Tatting for Pleasure, by Rosemarie Peel, and tried the Celtic motif. It’s just a little thing but it took me awhile. I kept joining the chain on the wrong side. But I prevailed! It will look good as a pin, I think. Now I’ve done one (small) thing I am ready to try something a little harder.

Our youngest daughter is pregnant and expecting any day now. When she calls and tells me she thinks it’s time I’ll be heading up to Omaha to be with them for a little while. I’ve got my suitcase mostly packed and most of my tatting handy so I can grab them in a moment’s notice. This is her first baby and our first grandbaby. I’m only a little excited(!!!) I have vacation set aside and permission to leave when necessary and the bills caught up and…. Her husband is in the Air Force, stationed at Offutt. That’s only a little more than five hours away. It might seem farther when I go up there but there are places I wouldn’t be able to get to at all so I’m not complaining. So for now I’ll take a deep breath and keep the phone handy.

Edgings and Ideas

I’ve been trying to organize pictures on my computer and found a couple of edgings that I really enjoyed doing. They were added to the bottom of magnet boards I made for friends’ birthdays.

One friend does Renaissance Festivals and at first I didn’t quite know what I would use as background. Then I found some wonderful dragon and castle material. This is one time I actually used beads and then added dragonfly and “gem” magnets.

The other one is really into elephants. Material with elephants, the one’s I found anyway, were rather dark. So I used material with bamboo plants on it so she could see her elephant magnets. The edging was in gold. I think the green really set it off well.

Both recipients were happy with their gifts. And I had a lot of fun coming up with edgings that looked good with the material.

I have been getting a lot of ideas lately seeing all the great things other people have been doing on eTatters and their blogs. The problem is there is so little time to try them out! Christmas is coming so I do have that excuse to sit down and tat because of needing gifts. Now, if I could just stay home from work I’d have a lot more time for the important things.

Bookmark in fall colors

This is a bookmark I designed a few years ago when I was with one of my daughters at a sporting event. I posted this on eTatters and was asked if I would post the pattern.

Finally, here it is! Anyone is welcome to try it. It looks good in other colors, too.
Bookmark in fall colors
Designed by Wanda Salmans, aka tattrldy

Shuttle and ball
Motif
#
Clover
R 5-3-2. DNRW
R 2+ (to 2nd p of prev R) 3-3-2. DNRW
R 2+ (to 2nd p of prev R) 3-5. RW
Ch 5-5. RW
%
R 5+5 (to 2nd p of prev R) DNRW
R 5-5 RW
Ch 5-5 RW
%
Repeat between % twice.
Repeat Clover and following Ch, joining 1st p of 1st R of Clover to 2nd p of prev R
Repeat between % three times
Join to base of 1st Clover. Cut and Tie.
#
Repeat between # twice, joining to previous motifs in 2nd p of 2nd R of Clover.

Outside edge

R 5+5 to 2nd p of 2nd R of Clover at one end of the string of motifs. RW
Ch 3-2-2-3. RW
@
R 5+5 to next j of facing Rs of motif. RW
Ch 5-2-2-2-2-5. RW
@
Repeat between @ two times.
^
R 5+5 to next j of facing Rs of motif. RW
Ch 3 RW
R 5+5 to j of Clovers between motifs. RW
Ch 3 RW
^
Repeat between @ three times
Repeat between ^ once.
Repeat between @ three times.
R 5+5 to next j of facing Rs of motif. RW
Ch 3-2-2-3. RW
R 5+5 to 2nd p of 2nd R of Clover at end of the string of motifs. RW
$
Ch 3-2-2-2-2-2 each p increasing in length -2-2-2-3 each p decreasing in length. RW

Repeat from the beginning of Outside Edge with next R in same p as prev R.
Last Ch $ 22 ds, no picots.

Add tassel of 8 strands of thread doubled and brought through the $ chain from front to back. Bring all ends through loop and tighten. Trim ends as desired.
Update – added to My Patterns tab 1/6/15

Small Christmas tree pattern

A few days ago I posted a picture of a small Christmas tree ornament. I was asked if I would share the pattern. Well, here it is! I’ve tried looking it over for mistakes and to make it understandable. Please give it a try, and let me know if you have any questions or if you find a problem.

Two Shuttles
Sht1
R 3-6—6-3. RW
CH 4-3—3-4. DNRW
Clover
Sht2
R 3-3-3-3. R 3 + to 3rd p of prev R 4 –2—2- 4-3. R 3+ to 3rd p of prev R 3-3-3. DNRW
Sht1
CH 4-3—3-4. RW
R 3-6+ to 2nd p of 1st R 6-3 RW
Sht2
R 3-6—6-3. DNRW
Sht1
CH 4-3—3-4. DNRW
Repeat from Clover 2 times except
Top Clover 2nd R 3+ 4 – 2 (very long p) 2- 2 + to very long p 4-3.
Last repeat join CH to base of 1st R. RW
Split R Sht2 9
Sht1 9 close. DNRW
Sht2
R 9-9.
Joint to base of previous R.

Tatting demonstration

Yesterday my husband and I were cleaning before re-arranging the living room when I came across one of my daughter’s old school newspapers from 1993 with my picture in it. My youngest was in second grade that year. Her teacher, Mrs. Val Graber, had the students invite parents or other family members to come in to share their skills and hobbies. My daughter asked me to share tatting with her class. I remember trying to come up with a presentation for 7 & 8 year olds. I talked about the different names tatting goes by in different countries and had them help me try to pronounce them, then shared some of it’s history. We had them sit on the floor close by and I tatted a few rings and chains for them. Each child received a 3″ x 5″ note card with some little bit of tatting on it, a butterfly, a caterpillar, or flowers I had made, the backgrounds made with markers. They were very pleased to get them, as I was very pleased to do them.

This was the first time I had gotten up in front of people to demonstrate or talk about tatting. Since then I have given other demonstrations, most to people of a slightly more advanced age, but all built on the confidence I found in sharing my enthusiasm about tatting with second graders.

Bell pattern

Yesterday I posted the picture of the bell ornament. Today I’m going to add the pattern for it. I’ve not written out patterns that others have had to follow yet, so, please try it if you’d like and let me know if you find any mistakes. Refer to the picture from yesterday if you have any questions. I do make things that have a definate front and back so I don’t know how it will turn out if you don’t do that also. Happy tatting!

Bell Dec2007

2 shuttles

#

Sht1

R 5-5-5-5. RW

Ch 3-2-2-3. RW.

#

Repeat between # 3 times, joining 1st p of each R to 3rd p of prev R.

R 5+5-5-5 to 3rd p of prev R. DNRW

Sht2

Ch 3-2-2-3. RW

R 5+5-5-5 to 3rd p of prev Sht1 Ch. RW

Ch3-2-2-3.RW

R 5+5-5-5 to 3rd p of prev R. RW

Ch 3+2-2-3. DNRW

Sht1

R 5-5-5-5. DNRW

Sht2

Ch 3-2-2-3. RW

R 5+5-5-5 to 3rd p of prev Sht2 R. RW

Ch 3-2-2-3. RW

R 5+5-5-5 to 3rd p of prev R. RW

Ch 3-2-2-3. DNRW

Sht1

R 5-5-5-5. RW

Ch 3+2-2-3 to 3rd p of prev Sht2 R. RW

*

5+5-5-5 to 3rd p of prev R.RW

Ch 3-2-2-3. RW

*

Repeat between * 2 times

R 5+5-5-5. DNRW

Sht2

Ch 3-2-2-3. RW

R 5+ to 3rd p of prev Sht1 Ch 5-5+5 to 1st p of 1st Ch

Ch 3-2-2-3. join to base of 1st R.

Add hanger and jingle bell clapper if desired.

p.s. I’ve added the diagrammed pattern to my sidebar August 2011

25 motif challenge #1 & #2

The last few days I’ve been working on items for Christmas. Or rather, I’ve been arguing with tatting for Christmas. I had several ideas and some didn’t want to work. I spent almost all of Saturday trying to come up with one short edging and one small snowflake. I finally conquered both, basically because I went very simple. But I got done what I wanted. The other snowflakes went much better. The edging hasn’t been added to the hanging yet, so I’ll post it when it’s done.

The snowflakes are done in size 30 DMC Cebelia. The bell is done in size 10 DMC Cebelia. All the patterns are mine – the little one is not very elaborate so I’m sure that others have come up with the same thing.

I’m entering the two large snowflakes in the 25 motif challenge. And the countdown begins…

Shopping

Yesterday I went to a shop in Wichita called ‘Heritage Hut’ where I go to get thread sometimes. It’s a nice place, mostly for weaving, knitting and crochet with lots of unique yarns and has DMC thread in size 80, 8, and almost all the DMC colors of Cebelia size 10,20 and 30. The owner doesn’t tat but she has a woman come in Saturday mornings to give a tatting class, starting with beginners but answering questions from more experienced people as well. It’s a really nice shop. She also has lots of tatting books, that you can actually pick up and look through, or drool over as the case may be. There are also several choices of shuttles, Tatsy, Clover, Boye, Aero, as well as tatting needles, doilies with the holes in the edge for edgings and other miscellaneous supplies.

Most days you are greeted at the door by Big Daddy, a Great Dane. He’s very friendly, comes to see if you would like to give him some attention. He has the run of the shop and will leave you alone when you’re done petting him or you would rather he goes away. Another dog, a half-grown Irish wolf hound puppy, is usually behind the counter because she hasn’t learned how to behave yet. Her name is Maggie. As I like dogs, I get a big kick of going into the shop to see them as well as check out any new stuff that might be there.

Mary, the owner, enjoys seeing what you are working on. I showed her my little doily with beads that I just completed. For not being a tatter she pays attention to the classes enough she had some very good questions about it. It made my day to have a chance to get more thread, share my tatting and visit the dogs.